Field of the Disclosure
Embodiments of the present disclosure generally relate to a non-volatile memory, particularly Spin Hall Effect magnetoresistive random access memory (SHE-MRAM).
Description of the Related Art
The heart of a computer is a magnetic recording device which typically may include a rotating magnetic media or a solid state media device. A number of different memory technologies exist today for storing information for use in a computing system. These different memory technologies may, in general, be split into two major categories: volatile memory and non-volatile memory. Volatile memory may generally refer to types of computer memory that require power to retain stored data. Non-volatile memory, on the other hand, may generally refer to types of computer memory that do not require power in order to retain stored data.
Recently, a number of emerging technologies have drawn increasing attention as potential contenders for next generation memory. One such memory technology is magnetoresistive random access memory (MRAM). MRAM offers fast access time, infinite read/write endurance, radiation hardness, and high storage density. Unlike conventional RAM chip technologies, MRAM data is not stored as an electric charge, but instead stores data bits using magnetic moments. One type of MRAM is Spin Hall Effect MRAM (SHE-MRAM). SHE-MRAMs devices contain memory elements formed from two magnetically polarized layers, each of which can maintain a magnetic polarization field, separated by a thin insulating layer, which together form a magnetic tunnel junction (MTJ) stack. A layer having large spin orbit interactions may be in contact with the MTJ stack, and Spin Hall Effect is used to switch the MTJ stack as a current flows through the layer. Because the layer having large spin orbit interactions has high electrical resistivity and is very thin, typically in 10 s or 100 s of Angstroms, large voltage is required for driving sufficient current through the layer.
Therefore, there is a need in the art for an improved SHE-MRAM device.